[Amended 9-25-2025 by Ord. No. 25-24]
As used in this article and throughout this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
AT LARGE
A dog off the premises of the person owning or keeping or harboring it and not in a crate or other safe control, or not securely fastened to a tether, leash, or chain of six feet or less held by its owner or other person capable of controlling said dog.
DOG
Any male or female dog, bitch, or spayed bitch.
DOG OF LICENSING AGE
Any dog which has obtained the age of seven months or which possesses a set of permanent teeth.
FOSTER PLACEMENT
A temporary placement of six months or less in which a domestic animal resides while attempting to find permanent placement.
NEUTERED
Rendered permanently incapable of reproduction as certified by a licensed veterinarian.
OWNER
When applied to the proprietorship of a dog, shall include every person having a right of property in such dog and every person who harbors or has such dog in his or her keeping.
[Amended 9-25-2025 by Ord. No. 25-24]
A. 
No person shall own, keep or harbor any dog within the Borough except in compliance with the provisions of this article, and unless he first obtains a license and official metal registration tag therefor issued by the Borough Clerk upon application by the owner and payment of the prescribed fee.
B. 
The license shall contain the name and address of the owner of such dog, a short description of the dog, including the breed, sex and markings, and also the number of such license, and shall bear the signature of the Borough Clerk.
C. 
This section does not apply to dogs in a foster placement, state or federal research facility, veterinary establishment where dogs are kept for diagnostic, medical, surgical, or other treatments, or licensed animal shelters, pounds, kennels, or pet shops.
[Amended 9-25-2025 by Ord. No. 25-24]
Any person who shall own, keep or harbor a dog of licensing age in the Borough shall immediately apply for and procure from the Borough Clerk a license and official metal registration tag for each such dog so owned, kept or harbored, and shall place upon each such dog a collar or harness with the registration tag securely fastened thereto. A valid rabies certification must accompany registration and remain effective through October 31 of the current year to qualify for renewal.
[Amended 4-24-1990 by Ord. No. 90-07; 12-10-2002 by Ord. No. 02-28; 11-23-2004 by Ord. No. 04-19; 3-13-2007 by Ord. No. 07-07; 9-25-2025 by Ord. No. 25-24]
A. 
The person applying for the license and registration tag for each dog shall pay to the Borough Clerk a fee of $17.20 for the license of each dog which is spayed/neutered, $20.20 for the license of each dog non-spayed/non-neutered and such additional fee for the registration tag as provided for by state law. Each license and tag shall be renewed annually, with the corresponding fees payable on an annual basis.
B. 
There shall be an additional fee of $5 for the replacement of any lost or otherwise missing registration tag.
C. 
There shall be an additional late fee of $5 for each dog license application/renewal not renewed by the last day of January each year.
D. 
Only one license and registration tag shall be required in any license year for any dog owned in New Jersey, and such license and tag issued by any other municipality shall be accepted by the Borough as evidence of compliance with this section and § 58-3.
E. 
Dogs used for guides for blind persons and commonly known as "Seeing Eye" dogs, dogs used to assist deaf persons and commonly known as "hearing ear" dogs and dogs used to assist handicapped persons and commonly known as "service" dogs shall be licensed and registered as other dogs as herein provided for, except that the owner or keeper of such dog shall not be required to pay any fee therefor.
[Amended 9-25-2025 by Ord. No. 25-24]
Application forms for license and uniform official metal registration tags designed by the State Department of Health shall be furnished by the Borough and shall be numbered serially and shall bear the year of issuance and the name of the Borough. The Borough may make all required forms available online.
[Amended 3-13-2007 by Ord. No. 07-07; 9-25-2025 by Ord. No. 25-24]
A. 
The owner of any newly-acquired dog of licensing age or any dog which attains licensing age shall apply for a license and registration tag for such dog within 10 days after such acquisition or age attainment.
B. 
No license shall be granted for any dog unless the dog owner provides evidence that the dog to be licensed and registered has been inoculated against rabies with a vaccine having duration of immunity which extends through at least 10 of the 12 months of the licensing period, in accordance with the regulations of the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, or the written certification of a licensed veterinarian indicating that the dog is unable to be vaccinated due to age or infirmity.
[Amended 9-25-2025 by Ord. No. 25-24]
A. 
The application shall state the breed, sex, age, color and markings of the dog for which license and registration are sought, and whether it is of a long-haired or short-hared variety; the name, street and post office address of the owner and the person who shall keep or harbor such dog.
B. 
The information on said application and the registration number issued for the dog shall be preserved for a period of three years by the Borough Clerk. In addition, the Clerk shall forward to the State Department of Health each month, on forms furnished by the said Department, an accurate account of registration numbers issued or otherwise disposed of. Registration numbers shall be issued in the order of the applications.
[Amended 9-25-2025 by Ord. No. 25-24]
A. 
Any person who shall bring or cause to be brought into the Borough any dog licensed in another state for the current licensing year, and bearing a registration tag, and shall keep the same or permit the same to be kept within the Borough for a period of more than 90 days shall immediately apply for a license and registration tag for such dog, unless such dog be licensed under § 58-2.
B. 
Any person who shall bring or cause to be brought into the Borough any unlicensed dog and shall keep the same or permit the same to be kept within the Borough for a period of more than 10 days, shall immediately apply for a license and registration tag for each such dog, unless such dog be licensed under § 58-2.
No person, except an officer or agent in the performance of his duties, shall remove a registration tag from the collar of any dog without the consent of the owner, nor shall any person attach a registration tag to a dog for which it was not issued.
License fees, registration tag fees and other money collected and received pursuant to this article shall be turned over and disposed of in accordance with and as provided by law.
[Amended 3-13-2007 by Ord. No. 07-07]
It shall be unlawful and a violation of the article for any person who owns, possesses or controls a dog to permit, suffer or allow such animal to soil, defile or defecate on, or commit any nuisance on any common thoroughfare, sidewalk, passageway, bypath, play area, park or any place where people congregate or walk, or upon any public property whatsoever, or upon any private property without the permission of the owner or lawful occupant thereof. This restriction shall not apply to that portion of the street lying between the curblines, which shall be used to curb such animal, provided that said person who curbs such dog shall remove all feces deposited by such animal and dispose of same as provided in Article III of this chapter.
The provisions of this article shall be enforced by any private citizen signing a formal complaint against such offender or by any member of the Board of Health, Garwood Police Department or such other person who may be employed by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Garwood to exercise the duty and authority of dog catcher, dog warden or pound-master.
The Mayor and Council shall have the power to enter into a contract with one or more persons for the exercise of the duty and authority of dog catcher, dog warden or pound-master to enforce the provisions of this article, including the taking into custody, impounding, destruction and disposal of dogs as hereinafter provided. Nothing contained in this section, however, shall be construed as limiting the duty or authority of the Chief of Police or any member of the Police Department to enforce the provisions of this article.
[Amended 9-10-1991 by Ord. No. 91-21; 5-25-1999 by Ord. No. 99-10; 9-25-2025 by Ord. No. 25-24]
An owner of a dog(s) who is unable or unwilling to provide care for an animal in their custody due to their arrest, eviction, hospitalization, or other circumstances outside of their control shall be required to pay all costs of sheltering, caring for, or treating any dog(s), including veterinary expenses, until that dog(s) is returned to its owner, forfeited, liberated, or disposed of. All costs are determined by the housing authority of such dog(s).
Members of the police, acting under the direction of the Chief of Police or such person appointed to enforce the provisions of this article, shall take into custody or impound the following:
A. 
Any dog running at large within the limits of the Borough.
B. 
Any dog not licensed or tagged as provided in this article.
C. 
Any dog off the premises of the owner or of the person keeping or harboring the dog, which dog said official or his agent or agents have reason to believe is a stray dog.
D. 
Any dog with a fierce, dangerous or vicious propensity or noticeably infected with rabies or bitten by a dog suspected of having rabies.
E. 
Any female dog in season off the premises of the owner or of the person keeping or harboring said dog.
F. 
Any dog seized under this section shall be handled and disposed of with proper notice given, as required by N.J.S.A. 4:19-15.16.
Any officer or agent authorized or empowered to perform any duty under this article is authorized to go upon any premises to seize for impounding any dog or dogs which he may lawfully seize and impound when such officer or agent is in immediate pursuit of such dog or dogs, except upon the premises of the owner of the dog if said owner is present and forbids the same.
No person shall hinder, molest, or interfere with anyone authorized or employed to perform any duty under this article.
[Amended 9-25-2025 by Ord. No. 25-24]
Any person who shall violate any provisions of §§ 58-2, 58-3, 58-6, 58-11 or 58-16, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not less than $50 nor more than $500 for each offense. Each day a violation continues shall constitute a separate and distinct offense.
The provisions of this article and the penalties for the violation of the provisions thereof shall be construed to be in addition to the provisions and penalties of any and all statutes of New Jersey relating to rabies and control of dogs.